It’s time to start shopping for the big day! If you’re a mother of the bride/groom, you’re going to need something fabulous to wear. But where to start? Bridal magazines and blogs are brimming with ideas for what’s on trend, but the most popular styles don’t necessarily suit everyone.

Rather than following fashion trends, it’s much more important to find something that flatters you and your body shape. You want to feel comfortable and confident at the wedding, from holding back the tears in the ceremony to all those photographs taken later on.

Here then is our handy guide to help you find a figure-flattering plus size outfit that will make you feel simply fabulous (but not too fabulous – you don’t want to upstage the bride after all.)

As the mother of the bride, you’d want to be able to support your daughter in every way possible, from finding the perfect dress to helping her plan the big day. In fact, your presence and support, in general, will be essential during this joyous but also stressful time.

Since the Ascot Racecourse was founded in 1711 by Queen Anne and the first race, “Her Majesty’s Plate” was run, the annual day of thoroughbred horse racing at the prestigious Berkshire racecourse has been an occasion devoted to dressing up to the maximum. Almost as much as the horse racing itself, Royal Ascot has always been about turning heads through unabashed fashion flamboyance.

You’ve picked the perfect hat (narrow or wide brim, whole or half head), liaised with the bride to make sure your mother of the bride dress coordinates and now there’s just one thing left to think about – hairstyle.

As weddings become more unique and modern and taste rapidly change, it can be hard to know the level of formality required for your daughter’s big day. In the past, it was understood that, on the whole, the mother of the bride should wear a hat – but different times mean different traditions.

It’s nearly three and a half years since the first same-sex wedding was celebrated in England and Wales, with Scotland soon following suit, and since then, same-sex marriage has become commonplace. Straight marriage has centuries of traditions, and many of these have been incorporated by gays and lesbians in the run-up to a wedding and on the day itself.

For second weddings, many things are different. You are a little older, hopefully wiser, and with a better sense of what you want your wedding to be like. Maybe you feel more deserving of a party and less likely to kowtow to etiquette rules. You are perhaps more in tune with decorating tastes, have a clearer idea of what you don’t want and no longer feel the pressure of parents’ views. This time you may have even written your wedding vows together.

For some mothers of the bride, “I don’t want to upstage the bride” is the mantra while shopping for an outfit. Meanwhile, the grooms’ mothers are worried about upstaging the brides’ mums, and so the wheel of insecurity keeps on turning.

Some say fashion is just as important as the occasion itself. Never a truer word said when you look at quintessentially English sporting events such as Royal Ascot and Henley Royal Regatta. People like to be seen and play the part; what they wear adds to the fun. There are, however, different expectations at these events.